The 2019 Indonesian Elections: The Politicians Speak
INDONESIA STUDIES PROGRAMME SEMINAR
About the Seminar
On 17 April, Indonesia held the world’s most complex and largest single-day elections, involving 192 million voters. Among the most important political positions to be decided were the office of the president and vice-president, and 575 seats in the People’s Representative Council (DPR). With a turnout of around 80 per cent, the elections demonstrated Indonesians’ enthusiasm to determine their future leaders. Quick count results show that incumbent President Joko Widodo is enjoying a 10 per cent lead, while the leading parties are the Indonesian Democratic Party – Struggle (PDI-P), the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) and the Golkar Party.
The seminar brings together prominent Indonesian politicians to share their perspectives on the electoral processes and outcomes, as well as their expectations for the future of Indonesia’s political landscape. They include representatives from the largest and newest political parties, and the second largest Muslim organisation in Indonesia. This is an opportunity to hear those directly involved in the hustings share their first-hand experience, as well as the role played by Islamic politics in the elections.
About the Speakers
Hendrawan Supratikno is a Member of Parliament from the PDI-P. He was previously a Professor in the Faculty of Economics, Satya Wacana University, Salatiga. He had also served as: member of Commission VI (overseeing trade, industry, investment, cooperatives, small and medium businesses and state-owned companies) in the DPR (2009-2014); member of the special committee of the Century Bank investigation in the DPR (2010); and member of the supervisory team of the Bank Century case in the DPR. As a senior politician in the PDI-P, Professor Supratikno is involved in the party’s electoral strategy.
Grace Natalie is chairperson and co-founder of the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) and legislative candidate for the party in the 2019 elections, competing in North Jakarta, West Jakarta and Thousand Islands electoral district. Grace started her career as a journalist and television host for 8 years. In 2012 she joined Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting (SMRC), a political research and consulting company, and became the Chief Executive Officer. Inspired by a new generation of political leaders with respectable reputation such as Jokowi, Nurdin Abdullah and Tri Rismaharini, Ms Natalie co-founded PSI in November 2014. She believes that the PSI offers a participatory political culture, meritocratic leadership, and accountable and professionally managed political party for Indonesians.
Sukamta is the Secretary of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) Fraction in Parliament and Head of International Affairs of the PKS. He is Member of Parliament for Yogyakarta province. He graduated from the Faculty of Chemical Engineering of Gadjah Mada University and earned his PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Salford, Manchester, UK. He has been playing an active role in PKS after returning from the UK, and was a former activist of Jama`ah Shalahuddin of Gadjah Mada University. In 2014-2019, he was assigned to Commission I (on defense, international relations, communication and information, and intelligence issues) of the DPR. During the January 2016 session, he was transferred to the DPR Commission III (on legal, human rights, and security issues).
Abdul Mu’ti is the secretary-general of the Central Board of Muhammadiyah. He serves as senior lecturer at the State Islamic University (UIN) Syarif Hidayatullah. He is also a member of the Indonesia and United States Council on Religion and Pluralism, and executive committee of the Asian Conference of Religion for Peace. Mu’ti obtained his honors degree in Islamic Education from the State Institute for Islamic Studies Walisongo, Semarang; his Masters in Education from the School of Education, Flinders University of South Australia and his Doctorate in Religious Education from the Graduate School of the State Islamic University Syarif Hidayatullah, Jakarta.
He was a former member of the Indonesia-United Kingdom Islamic Advisory Group, advisor of the British Council, vice secretary of Religious Counter Terrorism, and secretary of the National Board of Indonesian Muslim Intellectual. Mu’ti’s recent publications include Christian Muhammadiyah: Convergence of Muslims and Christians in Education; Inculturation of Islam; Islam in Indonesia A to Z Basic Reference. He is the editor of Moderation of Islam: Muhammadiyah Experience, Crafting the Alliance of Civilization, Ethics in Decision Making, and Islamic Cosmopolitanism in Indonesia.
Registration
For registration, please fill in this form and email to iseasevents3@iseas.edu.sg by 30 April 2019.